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Not since the
Star Wars prequels has there been a
science fiction score as eagerly anticipated as Michael Giacchino's
Star Trek. J.J. Abrams has retooled the saga
for a younger generation and this score by Giacchino reflects that cinematic
vision. This (first) release from the renewed franchise offers 45 minutes of
score and presents a new frontier for the music of Trek. The only existing
theme that is represented hails from the original television series itself
and even that doesn't emerge until the End Credits. Essentially, the
material is brand new Giacchino fare.
What did I think
about the new music of Star Trek? Well truthfully, it felt like I was
listening to one of Giacchino's Medal of Honor scores. That was my first
impression of his work on this. When you
listen to music from iconic film lore, there are certain things you expect.
The first element, at least for me, is that the music should pull the
listener into the universe for which it is written for and should be
unmistakably specific. In other words, cue up any track from
Williams' Star
Wars or
Goldsmith's
Trek
scores and you immediately know where the music is based in.
For
Giacchino's interpretation, I never got the sense that I had entered the
Star Trek universe, at least not for
the bulk of the album. It honestly felt like I was listening to a really
sharp, entertaining action score which could have been slotted into any
modern setting. I guess J.J. Abrams wasn't kidding around when he said that
his team didn't set out to create a Star Trek
experience that fans would be familiar with! The problem is, there isn't
anything new that breaks through with Giacchino's score to make it as
memorable as one might have hoped.
The key to
enjoying this album is to unlink it from the Star Trek
memories of yesteryear. With all my critique
aside, Giacchino has produced an above average score that is full of
interesting textures and spirited drama. The main theme is uplifting to a
point but never crosses the line toward majesty. Thus, disassociating this
2009 main theme from the works of Goldsmith, Horner and Courage is your best
bet as you explore this album. With one exception, that is...
The "End
Credits" suite on this album is simply breathtaking. In it, Giacchino calls
upon Courage's original Star Trek
theme and integrates it with his own new material. The power and beauty of
the original theme is heard climactically through this interpretation,
ushering in both fond memories of the past and hopeful wishes for new
adventures. These are the moments in the score that produced a sincerely
sentimental moment for me, an original Trek
fan, and made for a delightful send off. It also added a sorely needed
association to Giacchino's new music with that of the existing saga. Without
this merging, this album would not have cut it as a Star Trek
specific score, in my opinion.
Michael
Giacchino's Star Trek is simply a nice
score that is greatly enhanced by the use of Alexander Courage's theme in
the finale. While I'm sure that you will enjoy the finesse and energy
leading up to the conclusion, the overall score just doesn't give off the
vibe of a vintage Trek experience. But
I suppose that's what was intended. |
